on our broadcast tonight, under a cloud of volcanic ash and just as it was getting better, late reports now of another on the way. how long can this go on? who do oyou trust? the government goes after wall street, but there's no love for either of them on main streets across this country. heart of darkness, 15 years to the day after oklahoma city. we hear for the first time the chilling confession of the man who did it. "making a difference" by remembering an extraordinary woman. three daughters in their mother's footsteps. also astonishing response to

a story we aired friday. "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. we were prepared to come on the air tonight and report that things were improving and we were expecting jets to take to the sar in europe and elsewhere after being grounded by that vol cannish ash. then came news late today that says, in effect, not so fast. the united kingdom air authority says the volcanic eruption in iceland has strengthened and a new ash cloud is moving south and east toward the uk, roughly the distance between chicago and new york. let's go quickly to iceland and get the latest from chris jansing. good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. this is an extremely dynamic situation. that volcanic plume started to

grow again, late this afternoon it went from white to dark gray even to black. that indicates activity in the volcano is increasing and the ash is intensifying. the new cloud form which is moving toward great britain and could cause problems in a number of areas. i got off the phone with the chief volcanologist and he says eruptions will continue. >> chris, thanks. now to the staggering loss to business and commerce and personal travel. a whole chunk of the world has been idle except for travel over land and water, that is. this city, new york, is full of travelers who can't get back home and across the atlantic some can't go anywhere. our own donna friesen remains with us from london heathrow

airport tonight. donna, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. after five days of massive disruptions the pressure was moupting from airlines to get planes flying again because many believe the skies are safe. no one, least of all miserable stranded passengers, imagined it would go on this long. tonight though the air space over 13 countries remains completely closed and over nine others is partially closed there is hope the paralysis is ending. lossing spiralling to $1 billion put intense authorities to lift the ban accusing them of overreacting and grounding flights unnecessarily. >> if this ash is too thick to fly, we're not going to fly. we need to determine and measure if it is too thick to fly. we don't think we're doing enough to measure the risk of the cloud. >> reporter: british airways lufthansa and others went up and

tested and landed without incident. they believe it is safe to fly. some question the wisdom of that. these pictures show damage to a finish plane that flew into the ash cloud last week. germany believes 15 long haul flight cans carry 15,000 home. they will fly below 18,000 feet. european transport ministries decided to carve europe's air space in three zones, a safe zone, a caution zone with low concentrations of ash and a third no-fly zone, too full of ash to allow any flights. britain's gordon brown is sending in the navy, three ships including an aircraft carrier are on their way to rescue 350,000 passengers in europe, including soldiers on their way home from afghanistan. critics say it is a photo-op.

and spain offered to be a new airline hub of europe helping to get stranded passengers moving again. tonight three klm long haul flights left amsterdam, one bound for new york. but tomorrow if that new cloud of ash descends on europe, where will we be? well, we might be right back where we started. brian? >> you might say up in the air. donna friesen, donna, thanks. more on the effort to get from point "a" to point "b" especially in europe now that mother nature plunged us back to the 1940 ms. an era of cars and planes and boats before jet aircraft took to the air. we asked nbc's stephanie goss to start off at dawn and show us what it was like to at least try to get from london to madrid. >> reporter: 6:00 a.m., london, tenuro star trains are sold out. the goal, get to spain. flights to the u.s. are taking off from madrid.

it is early in the morning. euro star is adding three extra trains. we'll see if we can get a ticket. >> 8:55. >> reporter: a small victory, but the beginning of a long journey. for these austrian businessmen that began last thursday. when you get to paris what will you do? >> a coach from austria, coming to paris, picks us up. >> reporter: 8:55 the train departs london completely packed. sadly, all the real seats are taken. we can't fly over the english channel so we are going underneath it. 12:15 p.m. arrive in paris where we meet the harmon family from st. louis. >> all you can do is inch closer. >> reporter: their once in a life time european vacation has doubled in price and the

teenagers are getting restless. for us, the next step is across town. 2:15 p.m., frustrated passengers try to manage boredom and increasingly unhappy children. none of the automatic machines work so we have to stand in line to talk to a human being. hopefully that will happen soon. >> i have two seats. >> reporter: brief happiness is quickly crushed by the rush to our train. 5:16 departure to marseilles. the train arrives. it is too late to catch a flight from marseilles to spain. 18 hours of travel, a trip that by air takes one hour only to be stuck again. mother nature has clearly made her point. stephanie goss, nbc news, nowhere near home. one other angle here tonight. we've heard about how that volcanic ash can damage a jet engine, what about human lungs? what are the health effects for

those who especially have to live alongside it. some answers from robert bazell in iceland. >> reporter: the plume was 8,000 feet high, a dangerous mixture of most of the elements in the everett, iron, silica, magnesium and bromide. over the weekend plumes as high as 30,000 feet and massive amounts of steam from glaciers melt into the volcano. this doctor who practices in the shadow of the volcano worries on the effects of the ash on patients in this rural area, especially those with heart and lung conditions. >> when you breathe it in, it is a mechanically very irritating for your lungs. >> reporter: his biggest concern is for farmers who refuse to leave or stay indoors, fearing for their precious livestock. >> we were very much afraid the animals staying outside, horses

and things like that, they would not survive. >> reporter: that is particularly clear in the direct path of the ash cloud. the greatest danger is at the bottom of the volcano where there is so much ash it completely blocked the sun in the middle of the day. i can feel the grit in my teeth and it is constantly going in my eyes. the winds blow the ash mostly over the north atlantic. experts point to studies, after mt. st. helen's found that most got over health problems. >> by the time it gets to europe it has been diluted. >> reporter: for the animals and humans living nearby, the immediate danger is real. robert bazell, nbc news, iceland. we change topics and turn to the u.s. financial system. in the headlines all weekend and there's more to come on it this week. after the s.e.c.'s fraud charges against goldman sachs late last

week, president obama is starting an aggressive new push for financial reform. our white house correspondent savannah guthrie with more. >> reporter: this week brings a key test for the president and plans to reform wall street. once again in the senate all republicans are lined up in opposition. gearing up for his next big battle, the president will travel to new york city thursday to pitch financial reform in the shadow of wall street. but today the white house spokesman denied the government's fraud case against financial giant goldman sachs was timed to provide political advantage. >> the s.e.c. is, by law, an independent agency. what it does, it does not coordinate with the white house. >> reporter: still democrats seized on the news. a google search of the terms s.e.c. and goldman sachs yields a paid advertisement for

barackobama.com and republicans have their reform plan in uniform opposition. >> this comes down to a basic question, whose side are you on. >> reporter: the democrats' proposal would create a new consumer protection agency, require government scrutiny of complex financial transactions and require big firms to have more capital on hand and less debt. republicans have argued a $50 billion fund to be used in case large funds fail amounts to a bailout. >> the very existence of this fund would perpetuate the risky behavior that led to the last crisis. >> reporter: democrats point out the fund is paid for by the banks themselves. in his weekly address the president slammed the political leader. >> he made the cynical and deceptive statement that it

would help bailouts. >> reporter: americans are expressing disgust with government. in a pugh poll 22% said they trust washington. >> this is a public that is worried about what big government and big corporations are doing and who they are doing it to and who they're doing it for. >> reporter: well, another note, that poll found americans mostly feel the government regulates free enterprise too much. there was one big exception. they would like to see more regulation of wall street, brian. >> savannah guthrie at the white house, thanks. the deaths of two top leaders of al qaeda al masri andal baghdadi were killed in a safe house near tikrit. they have been on the most wanted list for years. vice president joe biden called the joint u.s.-iraqi operation a

potentially devastating blow to al qaeda in iraq. when our broadcast continues in a moment on a monday night, on this 15th anniversary of the oklahoma city bombing, never-before-heard jailhouse recordings of timothy mcveigh. why he did what he did in his own words. and later, a hopeful and enduring legacy from that awful day. our "making a difference" report. of a heart attack or stroke. you'd better read about plavix. if you have p.a.d., plavix can help protect you from a heart attack or stroke. plavix helps keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots- the cause of most heart attacks and strokes. talk with your doctor about plavix? i'll do it. promise. (announcer) people with stomach ulcers or other conditions that cause bleeding should not use plavix. taking plavix alone or with some other medicines, including aspirin, may increase bleeding risk, so tell your doctor when planning surgery. certain genetic factors and some medicines, such as prilosec, may affect how plavix works. tell your doctor all the medicines you take, including aspirin, especially if you've had a stroke.

if fever, unexplained weakness or confusion develops, tell your doctor promptly. these may be signs of ttp, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, reported sometimes less than two weeks after starting plavix. other rare but serious side effects may occur. than two weeks after starting plavix. [whistles] taxi! come on. announcer: dr. scholl's massaging gel insoles with two different gels for softness and support are outrageously comfortable. i'd rather walk anyway. announcer: are you gellin'? dr. scholl's. [ male announcer ] visine®-a is clinically proven to relieve all your worst eye allergy symptoms. it goes right where you need it, relieving allergy eyes in minutes. visine®-a. no other allergy eye drop is more complete.

this was the scene this morning at the memorial to the 168 people who died in one of the worst terrorist attacks ever in this country. the oklahoma city bombing 15 years ago today. family and friends of the victims placed flowers, stuffed animals and notes in the empty chairs that now symbolize those who were lost. then came 168 seconds of silence. the memorial stands at what was the site of the alfred p. murrah federal building which was, of course, destroyed in the blast.

that building was blown up by a former u.s. army sergeant, timothy mcveigh, who looked to many like the kid next door. tonight msnbc will debut a documentary with audio recordings that have never been heard in public before, that reveal timothy mcveigh's own chilling confession. some are bracing to hear. our report from our justice correspondent pete williams. >> reporter: two days after the oklahoma city bombing, the world got its first look at timothy mcveigh as federal agents took him into custody. he would later say he was determined to look proud on his murderous attack on the government. >> i had to concentrate where the steps were going to be without dipping my head down. >> reporter: that is mcva's voice recorded in 1999 in a federal prison in colorado by reporter and author lou michele. excerpts from their hours of conversations will be heard

tonight for the first time in an msnbc documentary. michele calls the audio tapes valuable history. >> can you imagine if lee harvey os wald had the chance to spill his guts. >> reporter: it is the only time mcveigh admitted his crime, building a 7,000-pound bomb, drying into oklahoma city in a truck and lit the fuse. >> i lit the main fuse in two minutes. i pulled up to the building, stepped out and walked across the street. >> reporter: these are the key items of evidence, pieces of that truck found in the debris, now on display at fbi headquarters. a part number led agents to the place where the truck was rented and eventually to mcveigh himself. the explosion killed 168 people including 19 children and

injured hundreds more. in the interviews, mcveigh show nod compassion. >> you are not the first mother to lose a kid. you are not the first grandparent to lose a granddaughter or grandson. get over it. >> reporter: that's impossible for jany coverdale who lost her two grandsons. >> i can get up out of the bed in the morning and feel good but sometime that day i'm going to start crying. >> reporter: in the spring of 2001, mcveigh was executed. pete williams, nbc news, washington. >> you can see it all tonight. the special report hosted by rachel maddow. "mcveigh tapes." when we come back, the update on the plan for one airline to charge you for your carry-on bag. this is doing fine. why? but look. it's planted in miracle-gro moisture control potting mix. it holds 33% more water... than ordinary potting soil,

releasing it as plants need it, not when i get around to it. and there's miracle-gro plant food mixed in. so you get miracle-gro results... i like that. [ female announcer ] new and improved miracle-gro moisture control potting mix. success starts with the soil.

miracle-gro moisture control potting mix. i'm going to own my own restaurant. i want to be a volunteer firefighter. when i grow up, i want to write a novel. i want to go on a road trip.

when i grow up, i'm going to go there. i'm going to work with kids. i want to fix up old houses. [ female announcer ] at aarp we believe you're never done growing. i want to fall in love again. [ female announcer ] together we can discover the best of what's next at aarp.org. toyota announced a recall of one of its suv. if 2010 lexus gs 460 to reprogram an electronic stability control system. consumer reports issued a rare don't buy warning because of a rollover risk. toyota said its own testing confirmed the problem and they would solve the problem. toyota agreed to pay the biggest government-ordered fine ever, $16.4 million as punishment for

its handling of sudden acceleration problems. the transportation department said toyota hid information about sticking gas pedals the problem that led to the recall of 2.3 million vehicles worldwide. toyota agreed to pay the fine, the company denies it violated u.s. laws. this was inevitable. after spirit airlines announced its intention to charge to put a piece of luggage in the overhead compartment other carriers are signing a pledge not to do that, american, delta, jetblue, united and us airways. if george washington hadn't given so much to his country he would otherwise owe one heck of a fine. two books were checked out of a new york library in 1789 by president. that was him. they never got the books back. the calculated fine when you add up all those years, 300 grand. the other way to look at a fine that big, think of his picture

on 300,000 dollar bills. all is forgiven mr. president. when we come back a woman whose memory lives on because of the way her own daughters are "making a difference." be kind to your eyes... with transitions lenses. transitions adapt to changing light so you see your whole day comfortably... and conveniently while protecting your eyes from the sun. ask your eyecare professional which transitions lenses are right for you. time to face the pollen that used to make me sneeze... my eyes water. but now zyrtec®, the fastest 24-hour allergy relief, comes in a new liquid gel. new zyrtec® liquid gels work fast, so i can love the air®. [ male announcer ] we call it the american renewal. because ge capital understands what businesses need to grow. that's why today ge capital provides critical financing

to more than 300,000 growing companies. ♪ i just want fewer pills and relief that lasts all day. take 2 extra strength tylenol every 4 to 6 hours?!? taking 8 pills a day... and if i take it for 10 days -- that's 80 pills! just 2 aleve can last all day... perfect. choose aleve and you could be taking four times... fewer pills than extra strength tylenol. just 2 aleve have the strength to relieve arthritis pain all day. as we're finishing up, i mention i'm going to the bathroom more often. he checks it out. good thing. turns out... my urinary symptoms -- such as going frequently, trouble going, flow starts and stops... and going often at night -- are due to bph, also called enlarged prostate.

he says over time, avodart has been shown to shrink the prostate, improve urinary symptoms, and reduce the risk of prostate surgery. only your health care provider can tell if your symptoms... are from bph and not a more serious condition... like prostate cancer. do not donate blood until 6 months after stopping avodart. tell your doctor if you have liver disease. rarely sexual side effects, swelling or tenderness... of the breasts can occur. avodart is for men only. women should not take or handle avodart... due to risk of a specific birth defect. today's the day to talk to your doctor... about your urinary symptoms and find out... if avodart is right for you.

in our "making a difference" report tonight the loved ones who survived the 168 souls who were lost 15 years ago today in an act of domestic terrorism in oklahoma city. like it or not, family members are the living legacy of the lost and as nbc's janet shmblian reports from oklahoma city tonight one victim would probably like what she sees just fine. >> reporter: the farms and ranches of rural oklahoma are where you can find rosalyn bigs. as a veterinarian for the u.s. department of agriculture. >> he's really big. >> reporter: you might say the job is in her genes. it is the very same position her mom held until 15 years ago today. >> there is some kind of

explosion downtown. >> reporter: dr. peggy clark was among the 168 victims of the oklahoma city bombing. the irony, hers was a field job. she rarely used her office in the murrah federal building but when she stopped in for a few minutes that day, three girls lost their mom, rosalyn 15, blaine 13 and chelsea only 6. today they are grown. blaine has a son. together they have a mission. for every mother and father who died here there was college money for their children. dr. clark's daughters would use it to follow the career paths of their mom. at the state capital blaine helps shape farm legislation, chelsea talks to ranchers as part of an internship and rosalyn is in the field, collectively, carrying out a life's unfinished work. >> i think we all try to basically be the best people we

can be which is what she would have -- now i'm getting upset. somebody else go. >> reporter: the pain and grieve can still feel fresh even after 15 years. >> this event is part of our lives and part of our history, but it doesn't define who we are. >> reporter: and they are their mother's daughters. >> she instilled in us we could do anything, absolutely anything we wanted to. >> reporter: a life lost to tragedy but a legacy that lives on. nbc news, oklahoma city. and if you were watching friday night you saw our story on the hospital in haiti that is clinging to life and the evidents of an american doctor to save it and thus the people there. again our viewers have responded with staggering generosity. pledges of $185,000 so far just since that story aired here friday night. we have been asked to thank you, all of you, on behalf of the people that money will help. and so as we start off this new

week, that's our broadcast for this monday night. thank you for being with us. i'm brian williams. we sure hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com